What’s happening this weekend

Friday • The 31st Annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair starts today at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Over 180 craftsmen display and demonstrate their crafts. Music will be performed each day at 1, 3 and 5p.m. and 1 and 3p.m. on Sundays. The fair runs until July 30th. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for kids under 12. • Smokies VS. Carolina Mudcats at 7:15p.m. Fireworks will be set off after the game. Fans will receive baseball clappers. Maisy the mouse will also be at the Smokies Park. • Peggy Whitted, a Sevierville weaver, will be demonstrating her craft at the Arrowcraft Shop in Gatlinburg from 10a.m. to 4p.m. today and Saturday. She will demonstrate her technique on a large floor loom as she creates placemats, runners, and other functional items. • Exploring Cades Cove for Junior Rangers is going on during the summer. Bring the family for hands on exploration of the Cove. It starts at 2:30 and lasts 30 minutes. Meet at the Cades Cove Visitors Center, halfway around the loop. Part of the Junior Ranger Program. Also meets Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. • The Cades Cove Hayride starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Cades Cove Riding Stables. Visitors will enjoy an open air hayride, view wildlife, and explore the culture of Cades Cove. The hayride takes 2 hours and costs $8 per person. • “Whose Poop’s on my Boots?” Meet a ranger for family night at the Smokemont Campground. Learn about animal skins, tracks, and poop in the Smokies. Become a certified “Track-a-scat-a-skin-ologist”. The event starts at 8p.m. • Tunes and Tales happen on the Parkway in Gatlinburg every night, 5:30 to 10. Characters and musicians can be seen at different locations on the Parkway. Saturday • Pandamania at Boyds Bear Country is going on till Sunday. Great China Circus will be performing 12p.m. to 1p.m. each day. Friends of the National Zoo will be providing interactive educational programs. • Animal Olympics – Discover the fascinating abilities of animals in Cades Cove. The program starts at 2:30 next to the Cades Cove Visitor Center, halfway around the loop. It lasts 45 minutes. Sunday • Deep Creek History Hike will take place at 10a.m. The hike is a moderate 4.4 miles. Meet the park ranger at the Deer Creek Trailhead parking area to learn about the history of the Deer Creek area. • “Bears in the Smokies” will take place at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center at 10a.m. A park ranger will lead a discussion about black bears in the Smokies. • “Little Cabin in the Woods” will take place at the Noah “Bud” Ogle Farmstead on Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg. Park staff will at the farmstead at 1p.m. to lead a short walk to the “tub” mill site. • “Down on the Farm” is a demonstration of a variety of old time activities at the Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitors Center. This event runs from 2p.m. to 4p.m. The Smoky Mountain Herald needs your events. If you would like to have your event considered for this listing, email the item to Chantalle@theheraldnewspapers.com.